Last offseason, the Vikings quickly landed a handful of intriguing free agents. On offense, Aaron Jones and Sam Darnold made a difference, while defenders Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard both made the Pro Bowl roster in their first season in purple.
Vikings Called Landing Spot for Talented Free Agent Defender
Just like last year, there is massive uncertainty as almost half the team is set to become free agents, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to fill some significant holes, especially on the defense. The entire cornerback group and both starting safeties are without a contract for the upcoming season.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is expected to return for a third season because the head coaching jobs have been filled (besides that of the New Orleans Saints, who are expected to hire Eagles OC Kellen Moore after the Super Bowl).
He would undoubtedly also be happy about an upgrade along his defensive line. Last offseason, the Vikings missed out on the available difference-makers in free agency and the draft.
This time, the franchise once again has some available funds to spend on a new defensive tackle. On Mason Cameron’s (Pro Football Focus) list of top defensive linemen in free agency, the Vikings are named as a destination for Eagles defender Milton Williams.
He is in the shadows of former Georgia standouts Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis but would be a star on every other team.
Cameron wrote about his excellent 2024 season, “Williams made great strides as a pass-rusher in 2024, earning the second-highest PFF pass-rush grade (90.4) among interior defenders and recording top-five marks in win rate (17.2%), pressure rate (14.6%) and pass-rush productivity rating (8.3) during the regular season.”
The Vikings lack an interior pass rusher, and Williams is one of the best in that regard. At this point, the Vikings have six defensive linemen under contract for the 2025 season.
- Harrison Phillips
- Jalen Redmond
- Taki Taimani
- Levi Drake Rodriguez
- Travis Bell
- Jonathan Harris
Veterans Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bullard will become free agents, barring an extension in the next few weeks.
Cameron continued: “Brian Flores is known for his aggressive blitz packages but tends to find pressure without blitzing, having ranked 28th in total pressures (144) without the blitz. Williams would fit well in Flores’ scheme at 5-technique, where the Vikings‘ highest-graded pass-rusher failed to eclipse a 65.0 PFF pass-rush grade.”
He also thinks the Arizona Cardinals would be a good fit for the defender in his free-agency journey.
Williams has played in 67 games with the Eagles, recording 11.5 sacks and 132 tackles in a rotational role. The expectation is that he could do a lot more damage on a different team with an inferior defensive line rotation, and the Vikings fit that description.
The defender is projected to land a three-year deal worth $21 million per season. That’s a big investment but the Vikings have some cap space and finally need someone who can get after the quarterback from the inside to fully unlock the defense.
Williams is 25 years old and will be available in March.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt